The dad of the youngest soccer yob jailed for the Derby Day riots says his 16-year-old boy has learnt his lessons as he serves his time alongside killers and armed robbers.

The lad, who was 15 at the time but has now turned 16, was locked up for six months after throwing a bottle during the shameful disorder.

But the teen, who lives with his mum and can’t be named for legal reasons, kept his arrest and charge secret from his father.

And the dad only found out his son had been locked-up last week, after he failed to get his custodial sentence overturned on appeal.

Paul Cauldfield, representing, told of the difficult time the lad was having at the facility in Wetherby, West Yorkshire, where he is being held.

He said: “He has been subject to some fairly horrendous experiences since arriving at Wetherby. It’s necessary to consider what has happened to this young lad since he arrived there. He was introduced fairly quickly to a young man serving life for a very violent murder involving stabbing. He was an older lad, in his early 20s, who quite frankly terrifies him. He then met two members of a team of armed robbers who had been torturing people.

“He had to seek medical attention because he was so terrified and was kept on the medical wing. For the last two weeks, all he’s done is sit in the medical wing or in his cell reading a book.

“He’s not been put forward for any training as his sentence is too short, although it feels like a lifetime to him. “In Wetherby, he’s going to spend another nine weeks in virtual solitary confinement. He’s already been in two weeks and it feels like an eternity to him. If District Judge Earl wanted to send a message it has very much been received and acted on. He behaved in a way he will regret for the rest of his life but it’s the rest of his life I ask you to look at.”

The boy’s parent is heartbroken that his son is now behind bars, rubbing shoulders with killers and gang members.

And while he is ashamed of his son’s actions, he feels the sentence handed to him was too harsh, and fears it could ruin his life.

The dad, who cannot be named to protect the identity of his son, said: “I absolutely deplore that my son did what he did. I think he just got swept up in it all on the day. He’s let himself down, his mum down and his dad down and I believe he should have been punished, but not by going to prison. He knows he’s made a mistake. I’m just keeping my fingers crossed he will be able to move past this.”

The riots that followed Newcastle United’s 3-0 home defeat to Sunderland on Sunday, April 14, sent shockwaves across Tyneside and beyond.

In the worst football-related violence seen in years, scores of supposed Toon supporters went on the rampage in Newcastle city centre, hurling bricks and bottles at police.

In the wake of the riots police launched a huge investigation to trace all those involved.

And images of the suspects, caught on CCTV and police head-cams, were printed in the our sister paper, The Chronicle, as detectives appealed for help to identify them.

But the dad did not see the edition that featured the incriminating picture of his boy.

And he had no idea his son was arrested, in June, and later charged with violent disorder. However, over the summer the dad noticed his son’s personality change.

The talented footballer gave up playing the sport he loved and began behaving strangely.

“I had a very difficult time with him in June, July and August,” said the father.

“When I saw him he was incredibly agitated.

“He was nasty to his mother and nasty to me.”

Little did the dad know his son was awaiting an appearance at Newcastle Youth Court.

The Newcastle United season ticket holder, who has never been in trouble before, pleaded guilty to the charge. He was seen at locations where disorder took place and the court heard he threw cans and one bottle.

In sentencing the lad to six months in a young offenders’ institute the judge confessed it was one of the most difficult decisions he’d had to make.

Soon after the appeal the boy’s mum came clean to her ex-partner and told him their son was inside.

“I just broke down in tears when I found out,” he said.

“I was just devastated. I panicked and got very, very upset. I just feel so helpless, because I couldn’t help my son when he needed me.”

The dad is now just hoping his son can move on.

He added: “Hopefully it will have made him grow-up and some good will come out of it.”